Derrick Frost and Durant Brooks will have one more game--a punt-off, if you will--to win the Redskins' punting job.
Coaches have decided to keep both Frost and Brooks on the roster for the Redskins' preseason finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night.
"They are going to both punt in the game," head coach Jim Zorn said. "That's how we're going to do it. It's getting down to the nitty-gritty now."
Even at this late date of preseason, it's not clear who has emerged as the leading candidate.
It has been fairly even all the way through, Zorn said.
Frost, a four-year veteran, turned in an impressive performance in last Saturday's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.
He had eight opportunities and averaged 51.3 yards per punt. His net average was 37.1. He had a 65-yard punt that would have been a career high had it happened during the regular season.
So far this preseason, Frost has totaled 12 punts in games against the Buffalo Bills and Panthers. His average is 45.5 yards per punt, with a net of 32.3. He has kicked three punts inside the 20-yard line.
Brooks, the sixth-round draft pick out of Georgia Tech, has punted 10 times in the preseason games against the Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets.
He has a 44.2-yard punting average and a 33.7-yard net average, with thee kicks inside the 20.
Frost has been plagued by bouts of inconsistency in his career, while Brooks has inexperience.
It could even come down to holding on field goal attempts. Frost and Brooks both hold for Shaun Suisham.
-- VERDUN-WHEELER BACK, GOODE GONE
The Redskins re-signed linebacker Danny Verdun-Wheeler on Tuesday, adding depth to an injury depleted linebacker corps for the preseason finale this Thursday night.
To make room for Verdun-Wheeler, the Redskins released tight end Jason Goode.
Verdun-Wheeler, 6-2 and 244 pounds, had signed with the Redskins as a free agent last offseason, but was waived on Aug. 4.
He spent time on the Redskins' practice squad in the final two weeks of the 2007 regular season. He originally entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Georgia with the Chicago Bears.
Verdun-Wheeler should see playing time in Thursday's preseason game against Jacksonville.
Goode was an undrafted rookie out of Maryland. He made his mark this preseason when he caught a 33-yard game-winning touchdown pass from Colt Brennan to beat the New York Jets 13-10 on Aug. 16.
Goode suffered a foot injury in the game, though. He was not expected to play in the final preseason game, so the team opted to release him with an injury settlement.
Goode has three catches for 65 yards this preseason.
-- LANDRY UPDATE
LaRon Landry practiced for the second straight day on Tuesday. He appears to be full-go following a hamstring injury.
Will he play on Thursday against Jacksonville?
"I'm hoping he can go," Jim Zorn said.
Even though Greg Blache has said defensive starters won't play, coaches may want Landry to see action just so he can get some playing time in preseason. Landry has missed all four preseason games so far.
The team will remain cautious with Landry.
"I'm not going to take any chances," he said. "I'm going to listen to our trainers."
-- GOLSTON vs. MONTGOMERY
Kedric Golston has started all four preseason games at defensive tackle for the Redskins, a signal that he could have the edge in starting in Week 1.
Golston is competing with Anthony Montgomery for a starting job next to Cornelius Griffin.
Jim Zorn said no decision has been made who will start.
"I can't tell yet," he said. "We'll have several discussions about that. It's a great rotation. To me, whichever guy you pick, the other guy is right there, too.
"It'll be significant to the starter, but it won't be that significant to [the coaches] because we know we have 3-4 pretty good defensive tackles there."
-- WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT
Malcolm Kelly could see his first preseason action on Thursday against Jacksonville.
"I thought Malcolm stepped up [in practice]," Jim Zorn said. "I could see a little burst in him."
It's uncertain if Byron Westbrook will be available. He has a right ankle sprain.
Jason Taylor (knee), Jon Jansen (foot) and Todd Wade (ankle) have been ruled out of Thursday's preseason game.
-- CAMPBELL HAS AN 'OWIE'
It's fast becoming Jim Zorn's favorite word to describe a mild injury: "Owie."
That's what Jason Campbell had on Tuesday. He had a cut on his right leg and it was wrapped with a bandage.
"Around the league, no one wants to get staph infections, so we're very cautious about that," Zorn said. "I'm really glad he's taking precautions and our trainers are putting that together so we don't have any infections."
